Newly Reconstructed Bridge Features Wider Lanes and Bike Lanes
By Dolores Quintana
Culver City recently unveiled the newly reconstructed Higuera Street Bridge over Ballona Creek, a project aimed at improving accessibility and connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists, as reported by Streets Blog LA. The bridge underwent widening, with an additional travel lane for drivers, expanded sidewalks, a new access ramp to the creek path, protected bike lanes, and a mid-bridge belvedere (overlook).
Construction on the bridge began in 2021 and was reopened to the public in mid-May. The project’s total cost, including the $8.3 million bridge replacement, the $1.36 million bike ramp (Ballona Creek Bike Path Connectivity Project at Higuera Street), and combined construction management expenses of $1.4 million, amounted to $11 million.
The new bike lanes on the bridge extend beyond the abutments, covering the entire long block from Jefferson Boulevard to Eastham Drive. Although the Higuera Bridge project represents a significant step towards enhancing walking and bicycling infrastructure, it also highlights the need for such sensible accommodations to be incorporated routinely in large-scale infrastructure upgrades—a feature that is often overlooked in many Metro and L.A. City projects.
Regrettably, Culver City, which had previously demonstrated leadership in incorporating smart bike/walk project components, is currently in the process of dismantling its ambitious downtown Move Culver City initiative.
